1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cuvette for measuring the absorption or other optical characteristics of irradiation in liquid samples and to a cap apparatus for a cuvette or test tube that allows substances to be introduced into the cuvette, while providing a seal that prevents leakage of the substances and/or the escape of vapors from the cuvette.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cuvettes are typically used in laboratory, medical and/or chemical testing and manufacturing settings where they are used to store and also mix various substances. Cuvettes typically have a square shape, but may also be rounded. Cuvettes may be used for performing diagnostic tests on a sample, such as spectrophotometrical absorbance measurements or fluorescence polarization measurements. Conventional cuvettes typically require a large amount of the substance to be tested and are not made up of highly UV transmissive materials. In addition, many conventional cuvettes are not compatible with testing apparatuses.
In some cases, the substances being stored and/or mixed within the cuvettes may be toxic or otherwise hazardous. Thus, lab personnel or pharmacists who are mixing these types of substances may be exposed to hazardous materials. For example, pharmacy personnel may transfer chemotherapy drugs from an admixture compounding setup into a cuvette for subsequent testing. These drugs may vaporize or aerosolize when being injected into the cuvette, exposing the pharmacists to hazardous vapors. Thus, an apparatus that seals the cuvette so as to prevent the escape of vapors, while still allowing new substances to be injected into the cuvette is desirable.